His Word
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Serving God Together
There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Acts 18:2-3, NIV Have you seen the movie “Paul, Apostle of Christ?” There, you will have a glimpse of Aquila and Priscilla’s role in the early Christian community. This couple may not be that famous, but they are a good role model for every married couple out there. They were tentmakers, and Paul used to work and travel with them.…
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Those Who Are In The Realm Of The Flesh Cannot Please God
The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God. Romans 8:6-8, NIV Since we live in this world, we are sometimes governed by standards and desires that will only satisfy our flesh. We seek temporary riches instead of focusing on Heavenly things. When the flesh governs our mind, it means that the worries and desires of this world occupy it. It’s okay to dream of a…
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God’s Right Hand Will Sustain You
He trains my hands for battle; my arms can bend a bow of bronze. You make your saving help my shield, and your right hand sustains me; your help has made me great. Psalms 18:34-35, NIV In life, we will go through difficult battles, some of which cannot be seen. Most of the time, the hardest battle happens on the inside. These are the struggles that people never really notice, not unless they intentionally listen to us. We somehow hide these things because we are scared that people might judge or condemn us. In this verse, David describes how God will help us overcome our battles. He is there to…
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Seek wisdom and Understanding
The one who gets wisdom loves life; the one who cherishes understanding will soon prosper. Proverbs 19:8, NIV In this world full of information and earthly standards, we are reminded to seek God’s wisdom. We may gain knowledge from what we see and experience, but at the end of the day, it’s wisdom that will help us make the right decision. When we get wisdom, it means that we love our lives. It’s one of the best ways for us to discover God’s will and purpose. So, let’s try to gain the wisdom of God. In everything we do, let’s seek His ways because He alone can guide us. He…
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Privileged To Serve Jesus
I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service. Even though I was once a blasphemer and a persecutor and a violent man, I was shown mercy because I acted in ignorance and unbelief. 1 Timothy 1:12-13 Paul considered himself a recipient of God’s mercy. He believed that it was an honor to serve God. He recalled the mistakes that he had made before and realized that it was all by God’s grace that he was appointed to preach the gospel outside Jerusalem. And this task wasn’t easy. Paul needed to go through suffering and many persecutions just…
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Examine The Word Of God Every Day
Now the Berean Jews were of more noble character than those in Thessalonica, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true. As a result, many of them believed, as did also a number of prominent Greek women and many Greek men. Acts 17: 11-12, NIV Before Paul arrived at Berea, they first went to the synagogues in Thessalonica. They experienced great persecution after they shared the gospel there, and a group of Jews attacked the believers. So, Paul escaped and went to Berea. There, he continued to preach the gospel in their synagogues. The author of…
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Persevering through Persecution: Paul and Silas in Berea
As soon as it was night, the believers sent Paul and Silas away to Berea. On arriving there, they went to the Jewish synagogue. Acts 17:10, NIV Paul and his companions visited Thessalonica and shared the good news in their synagogue. A great number of people followed them, but a certain group of Jews persecuted them. That’s why they went to Berea since the believers in Thessalonica wanted Paul and Silas to be safe and escape persecution. However, in the second part of the verse, Paul and Silas went to the Jewish synagogue and weren’t afraid of persecution. They continued to share the gospel despite what they experienced in Thessalonica. If I…
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When We Envy Other People, We Tend To Think Of Bad Things Towards Them
But the Jews who were not persuaded, becoming envious, took some of the evil men from the marketplace, and gathering a mob, set all the city in an uproar and attacked the house of Jason, and sought to bring them out to the people. Acts 17: 5, NKJV When Paul came to Thessalonica, he went to the synagogue to share about Jesus. A great multitude of devout Greeks, including a few women, were persuaded. But there was a group of Jews who didn’t agree with what Paul was sharing. It was said that they were envious of what Paul and the other believers had experienced. After that, they gathered some…
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Jesus Is The Hope That You Need
“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” Then he rolled up the scroll, gave it back to the attendant and sat down. The eyes of everyone in the synagogue were fastened on him. He began by saying to them, “Today this scripture is fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:18-21, NIV Jesus read the scroll of the prophet Isaiah and then proclaimed, “Today, this scripture is fulfilled in…
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When God Allows Us To Go Through Struggles
When it was daylight, the magistrates sent their officers to the jailer with the order: “Release those men.” The jailer told Paul, “The magistrates have ordered that you and Silas be released. Now you can leave. Go in peace.” Acts 16:35-36, NIV Paul and Silas were in prison and experienced a supernatural thing while they worshipped God there. The chains were broken, and the prison doors opened. They could’ve escaped during that moment, but they chose to stay and share the love of God with the jailer. The next day, the magistrates ordered them to be released. If God planned to release them a day after they were beaten, then…
